The Mesoamerican Reef, which runs south for some 700 miles from the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula protects coastal communities and property by reducing the force of storms, but its corals require continued repairs.

For every meter of height the reef loses, the potential economic damage from a major hurricane triples, according to The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Now thanks to TNC and Swiss Re, the reef is about to get its own insurance policy.